Originally Posted by
Curt Wilke
I have found that Harriers, and other wildlife, will come close if you stay in you vehicle and shoot from your window.
Vehicles are good bird/wildlife blinds.
The moment you or someone else gets out of their vehicle they move away and you're left with distant shots.
The down side, this time of year when shooting from your window, is the cold temps outside your vehicle as compared to inside.
This causes blur in your photos from heat distortion until things acclimate to the cold.
To help with this I will not run the heat in my truck as I drive to a location and when I arrive I lower the windows to let what remaining warmth escape.
Also, for the first half hour or so, after I arrive, I will not mount the lens hood on my long telephoto lens.
The hood traps heat and when removed it allows the lens to acclimate to the cold temps faster.
These shots were taken from just across the PA/MD border near Stewartstown, PA in
Hopewell Rec Park. Seeing that you are located in MD this maybe close to you.
Two Harriers work the Park fields in the afternoon hours and shots can be taken from the parking lot with little or no obstructions.
It doesn't get any easier.